Finger Independence (Guitar Lesson)

Chapter 1: (03:35) Finger Independence Classical guitar music typically involves some sort of melody line played in conjunction with a harmony part. Since two parts are happening simultaneously, the fingers often have to contort into awkward positions. To make wide stretches across the length and width of the fretboard, a high level of finger independence must be developed.

Due to the anatomy of the hand, certain fingers have a tendency to move when another finger moves. For example, the pinky finger tends to move when the third finger is being used. By the same token, the third finger wants to move when the second finger is used. You must work through the exercises presented in this lesson to overcome these natural tendencies.

Beware!

If you ever experience any pain or discomfort of any sort while practicing any of the exercises presented in this lesson, immediately take a break. To begin with, practice these exercises for roughly ten minutes a day as part of your warm-up routine. As your hands get stronger, and if time permits, gradually add more exercises to your practice routine.

Exercise 1

Note: all finger independence exercises are performed in seventh position. Once you have mastered them in this position, play them in fifth position for an extra challenge.

Directions

1. Plant all fingers on the third string in seventh position. Make sure each finger is planted at the appropriate fret.

2. Apply light pressure to the string.

3. While leaving the other fingers planted, the first finger jumps back and forth between notes played on the fifth and second strings. Use the thumb (P) to pluck low notes. Pluck high notes with the index finger (I). This segment repeats twice.

4. Then, the first finger jumps back and forth between the sixth string and the first string. This segment repeats twice.

5. Repeat this exercise with the remaining fingers. Watch as Danny demonstrates the remaining fingers at 02:00 in the lesson video.

If you experience pain at any point while practicing this exercise, immediately stop and take a break. You may not be able to complete the exercise with the third and fourth fingers. Do not force these fingers to perform stretches that they are not yet ready for. With regular practice, you will be able to complete the entire exercise in a matter of weeks. Chapter 2: (04:53) Reach Development As mentioned in the previous scene, a piece may require a finger to fret a note on a low string while another finger must fret a high note. In addition to improving the independence between each of the individual fingers, you must also increase the flexibility and reach of each finger to perform these types of passages.

Finger Switch Exercise Guidelines

1. Once again, this exercise is played in seventh position. The first finger will play at the 7h fret throughout the exercise. The second finger remains at the eighth fret. The first and second fingers continue to switch from string to string. As the exercise continues, the distance between the first and second fingers gradually increases.

2. Two notes are always played simultaneously. Pluck the lowest note with the thumb. Use the index finger to play the higher of the two notes.

3. Play this exercise with a staccato feel and with a fluid legato feel. Playing the exercise legato will require some extra practice.

4. Keep the left hand as still as possible. Keep the palm parallel to the bottom of the neck at all times. Make all stretches with the fingers, not with the hand.

5. Practice this exercise with fingers 2 and 3 and with fingers 3 and 4.

Note: Tablature and standard notation to this exercise can be found in measures 13-27 of the lesson exercise. Chapter 3: (06:13) Hammer-On and Pull-Off Technique Hammer-ons and pull-offs are two forms of "slurs" that can be played on the guitar. Slurs are used to create a smooth, legato sound. A slur occurs when multiple notes are sounded and only one note is struck with the right hand. A hammer-on is a "forward" slur. It begins with a lower note and concludes with a higher note. A pull-off is a "reverse" slur. Pull-offs begin with a higher note and conclude with a lower note. Other types of guitar slurs are slides and bends. Using the whammy bar to bend a pitch will also produce a type of slur.

Hammer-on Exercise Guidelines

Note: This exercise is also taught in Matt Brown's first Phase 2 Rock Lesson. Check out this lesson for additional information and practice tips.

1. In order to play a hammer-on, the hammering finger must begin at a distance that is higher than how you normally want to play. Roughly half an inch is necessary to create the snapping movement of the hammer-on.

2. Performing a hammer-on requires a forceful movement with a left-hand finger. The tone of a hammer-on is much clearer and louder when the hammering finger comes down fast and forcefully. If you bring your finger down to slow, the hammer-on will be weak or inaudible.

3. All rules regarding proper left-hand finger placement in relation to the frets become even more crucial when playing hammer-ons. Hammer the finger down right behind the fret. Hammering on top of a fret or too far from it will result in a poor tone.

4. Use the hard calluses on the tips of the fingers when making contact with the strings. This will help generate a louder tone.

5. This exercise features a fretboard pattern that repeats throughout the exercise. Continue the exercise all the way up to the 12th fret. Practice hammer-ons with the following fingering pairs: 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4.

6. Pay VERY close attention to the rhythm in which a hammer on is to be played. Many inexperienced guitarists cut the first note (the plucked note) way too short. Consequently, the hammer on note is held for too long. For starters, practice all hammer-ons and pull-offs in an even eighth note rhythm.

Pull-off Exercise Guidelines

This exercise gives you practice performing pull-offs between all finger combinations.

1. The plucked note and the subsequent pull-off must be equal in volume.

2. Pull the finger straight down towards the floor when playing a pull-off. This will create the best tone.

3. Be careful that you do not pull your finger down too far. This may cause one of the adjacent strings to vibrate. Stop the finger performing the pull-off on the string below. This may not be practical when performing rapid pull-offs. However, the pull-off technique should be exaggerated to help you in the early learning stages.

4. Spend extra time practicing the difficult finger combinations. Do not stray away from something just because it seems challenging at first.

5. Practice this exercise on all six strings in a variety of fretboard positions. Danny demonstrates the exercise in fifth position.

6. Play the exercise in time with a metronome. Make sure that both notes under the slur line receive the exact same value. Chapter 4: (02:23) Improvise in E Major The slur exercise outlined in this scene will increase your technical, musical, and improvisational skills as well as your knowledge of the E major scale. Adding some creativity to technical practice will help you remain engaged for a longer period of time. It will also improve your playing skills quicker than boring, non-musical exercises since multiple skills are utilized.

Practicing the Exercise

The open first and second strings both produce key notes in the key of E major. E is the tonic note and B is dominant in function. If you know the horizontal patterns for E major on these strings, you can create melodies by performing slurs between various fretted notes and the open strings. Simply improvise your own melodies on these two strings using hammer-ons and pull-offs. To add a bass voice to the exercise, periodically pluck the open sixth string to produce a tonic drone note. Watch Danny in the lesson video for some ideas on how to get this process started.

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